Recorder



1943- R. R. CHAPPELL 511:. 2,328,054

RECORDER Original Filed April 29', 1936 MOTOR OR CL OCA'WORA' I11 7? MG??? a a e Bu ger 5.03 Y Robe/f J \S'Ireb ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 31, 1943 Ralph -R. Chappell, Richmond, Va., and Rutger B. Colt and Robert J. Streb, Baltimore, Md., assignors to Bendix Aviation Corporation, Bendix, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Original application April 29, 1936, Serial No. 77,060. Divided and this application December 14, 1940, Serial No. 370,208 I 7 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to recording apparatus, and more particularly to novel record ing means for recording instantaneous values of a variable such, for example, as a variable force, position, fluid pressure, temperature, water stage, etc., and is a division of co-pending application Serial No. 77,060, filed April 29, 1936,

now Patent No. 2,232,589, dated February 18,

One of the objects of the invention is to previdc novel recording apparatus for producing'a permanent recordon a record recei lg surface, whereby a curve of any rangeof values plotted on any desired scale may be produced on a comparatively narrow record receiving surface Without thenecessity for reversing the recording means each time the curve has traversed the record receiving Sill'ffiCQyG-Ild, accordingly, without changing the direction of the slope of the curve to indicatelike changes in the plotted val ues.

Another object is to provide novel recording apparatus which is simple bothin construction and operation, which-may be readilyand inexpensively manufactured, and which is rugged, yet accurate and reliable.

A still further object is to provide a novel recording means for recordingvalues of a variable, wherein a measurable movement or time interval is'lrepresentative cf the value of the vari-ableby recording both the beginning and end of said movement or interval, 7 'still'another object of the invention is to provide anovelrrecorder having means for producing a record, trace 0r curve of any range of values on a comparatively narrow recordireceiving chart or surface by tapping a series of dots bymeans'of a tapper bar cooperating witha piurality of markers carried by an endless belt, without any necessity for reversing the motion of the markers each time they have traversed the chart and, thereforewithout changing the directionoi the slope of the trace or curve to indicatelike changes in the recorded values, and by tapping: a series of dots along an edge of the chart by means of a separate marker or markers carried at one or both ends of the tapper bar to provided margin reference line at one or both edges of the chart, so that the distance from any'pcint cnt'necurve to one of the margin reference lines represents the then value of the function being measured and recorded.

The above and other objects and novel features ofhthe invention will appear more fully hereinafter fr'cm theffcllowing detailed description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example, It is to. be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and is not designed as a definition. of the limits of the invention, referencebeing had for this purpose to t-he appended claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts in the t e-e views,

Figure l is a diagrammatic .etric view of one form of the novel recording apparatuseme bodying the invention; c

Figure 2 is an enlargeddetail view, partly in section and with parts broken away, of a part of the marking mechanism of the rapparatusoi Figure 1;-and i Figure Sis an enlarged detail v ew of a portion of the m king mechanism of ure 1;

, Referring now to the drawing and more p rticularly to Figure 1, the recorder co1npr .-.ses, as shown, an endless belt .4 mounted. on pulleys 5 and 6, which is moved over a record receiving surface or chart 'Lby means of a float 8 connected by a cord or cable 9 to a drum l6 whichis, in turn, connected to pulley 5 by of e rotat ably mounted shaft .H., p

To take up the slack in the cord or cable ,9 and to counterbalance the float 8 sothat the latter may rise and all easily with change in level (water stage) of the liquid in whi h it floats, a counterweight 12, or other su table means, is provided, whereby upon rise and. fall of the float 8 the drum I8 is rotated in one (ii i the other, depending upon whether level is cr falling. A plurality of mark ing elements carried by belt 4 and spaced apart thereon a distance not greater than the width of the record receiving surface or chart 1, arethus moved, one at a time, across said chart whenever float 8 rises or falls in response to a change in the liquid level determined by float}.

The record receiving surface or chart I is in the form of a paper tape originatingon a supply roller IA and passes under belt 4, over an idler roller 15, over a driving roller [6, and onto a take-up roller l1. Chart 1 i moved in a direction at right angles to the direction of the effective movement of belt 4 by any suitable driving means It, such as an escapement mechanism or constant speed motor, which is connected to driving roller i6 by means of a shaft l9.

Marking elements 13 may be constructed as in the illustrated embodiment, constituting novel means employing the principles of a typewriter for marking the record or curve, thereby avoid ing the use of fluid ink.-

Accordingly there is provided, as shown, an endless inked ribbon 20 which is mounted ,on a pair of spaced rollers 2| and 22, the lower reach of said inked ribbonpassingbetween belt 4 and record receiving chart I. I r

In order to produce a periodic record of the position of float 8, a tapper bar 23 is supported by arms 24 and pivots 25 over the lower reach of belt 4, and means operated in coordination with the moving chart 1 are provided for raising said bar 23 and permitting it to drop and strike marking elements i3. In the form shown, said means comprise a ratchet wheel 26 driven by the motor 13 through gears 21 and 23 and adapted to cooperate with a blade or finger 28 secured to an arm 30 on bar 23. The rotation of ratchet wheel 26 coacts with finger 29 to periodically raise bars 23 and permit the same to drop against one of said marking elements l3 when such element is over the chart 1 at some point between the edges thereof, at which time said element strikes ribbon 29 and presses the latter against the chart to produce the desired record.

Ribbon 20 may be shifted by the reciprocating action of bar 23, if desired, through a linkage and ratchet mechanism consisting of a link 3| engaging said bar 23, a lever 32 mounted on a fixed pivot 33, and a pawl 34 which is held in engagement with ratchet teeth on roller 22 by means of a spring 35.

In accordance with the invention, it is desirable to provide a marginal reference line adjacent one or both edges of the chart 1 for the purpose of defining the recording range and to maintain the distance representing said range constant even though the width of the chart may change due to changes in relative humidity of the surrounding atmosphere. In the illustrated embodiment a marginal reference line is produced at each of the edges of the chart I, and for this purpose a marking element 36 is provided at each end of tapper bar 23 in a position to engage inked ribbon 23 without interfering with the operation of belt 4.

Marker i3 ar spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the marginal reference lines made by markers 36 so that when the variable quantity or function being recorded intity being recorded, and when the tapper bar 23 strikes the marking element l3, the marking elements 35 on the tapper bar 23 produce an additional mark at each edge of the chart to provide a reference margin at-each of said edges, and the distance of the first mark from one of the edge marks represent the value of the quantity being recorded.

There is thus provided novel recording apparatus for recording values of a variable, which may be constructed of a small number of rugged and compactly arranged parts, and which is accurate and reliable, and whereby a more readily readable record may be produced on a comparatively narrow, linearly movable record receiving surface or chart.

' Although only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but that changes may be made in the various mechanical details and design and in the relative arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For a definition 01 the limits of the invention, reference is, therefore, to be made primarily to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A recorder for recording the value of a varying quantity upon a strip of record chart supported for longitudinal movement, comprising an endless flexible carrier arranged transversely of said chart and having a plurality of mark g elements spaced along its length and so arran d that when only one of them is intermediate the edges of said chart and is tapped at that t e it will make a mark on said chart represent the then value of said varying quantity, means controlled by said varying quantity for moving said carrier transversely of said chart, an elongated tapper bar of predetermined length extending transversely of said chart and along said flexible carrier for tapping one of said marking elements when it is intermediate the edges of said chart, said tapper bar also having a. marking element at each end thereof for producing an additional mark at each edge 01 said chart to provide a reference margin at each of said edges, the distance of the first mark from one of said edge marks representing the value of the quantity being recorded, and means for actuating said tapper bar.

2. A recorder for recording the value of a varying quantity upon a strip of record chart supported for longitudinal movement, comprising an endless flexible carrier arranged transversely of said chart and having a plurality of marking elements spaced along its length and so arranged that when only one of them is intermediate the edges of said chart and is tapped at that time it will make a mark on said chart representing the then value of said varying quantity, means controlled by said varying quantity for moving said carrier transversely of said chart, an elongated tapper bar of predetermined length extending transversely of said chart and along said flexible carrier for tapping one of said marking elements when it is intermediate the edges of said chart, said tapper bar also having a marking element at each end thereof for producing an additional mark at each edge of said chart to provide a reference margin at each of said edges, the distance of the first mark from one of said edge marks representing the value of the quantity being recorded, means for actuating said tapper bar, and common means for operating said actuating means and for moving said strip of record chart longitudinally.

3. A recorder for recording the value of a varying quantity upon a strip of record chart supported for longitudinal movement, comprising a plurality of marking elements for making a mark on said chart, means controlled by said varying quantity for actuating said marking elements, an elongated tapper bar of predetermined length extending transversely of said chart for actuating said marking elements one at a time and also having a marking element at an end thereof for producing an additional mark at an edge of said chart to provide a reference margin at said edge, and means, for actuating said tapper bar.

RALPH R. CHAPPELL. RUTGER B. COLT. ROBERT J. STREB. 

